-- Some banks in Hanoi have raised dollar deposit rates to as high as 3.5 percent for individuals, above the central bank's cap of 2 percent, clients said.

ECONOMIC AND GENERAL NEWS: NHAN DAN

-- Vietnam is expected to produce more than 1.5 million tonnes of sugar in the 2012/2013 sugarcane crushing season, above the domestic demand estimated at between 1.35 million and 1.4 million tonnes, the Vietnam Sugar and Sugarcane Association said.

-- Government inspectors said they will soon announce their findings on two major state-run banks, the Vietnam Development Bank and Agribank, after completing reports of their recent inspections.

-- Construction of 19 hydro-power plants in the central province of Quang Nam has been halted due to adverse impact, the provincial government said.

THOI BAO KINH TE VIETNAM

-- Vietnam will miss the annual economic growth target of 6.0-6.5 percent this year, with the expansion now forecast at 5.2 percent, the Planning and Investment Ministry said.

-- Achieving economic growth of 5-6 percent next year is not important, but stabilising the macro economy and sentiment, and restoring confidence is of greater significance, said Tran Du Lich, a well-known economist and a delegate of the National Assembly.